Designed to raise awareness of people living with allergies, Allergy Awareness Week runs from Monday April 23 to Sunday April 29, 2018. And this year, the campaign’s focus is on travelling with an allergy.

This year it seems like spring has taken a particularly long time coming. But if you have hayfever, the beginning of the season may also mark the start of symptoms such as sneezing, itching, a runny nose, blocked sinuses and itchy, watery eyes.

The spring and summer months may be peak times for hay fever, but if you’re affected by an indoor allergy such as allergic rhinitis, asthma or eczema, autumn and winter can be troublesome too – especially where your health and wellbeing are concerned.

According to the NHS the number of people who believe they have a food intolerance has risen dramatically over recent years. And to muddy the waters even further, some claim to have a food allergy, when what they really mean is they have a food intolerance. So how can you tell the difference between the two?

Extreme allergic reactions – called anaphylaxis – aren’t common. But according to the online medical resource Patient, it’s estimated there are between one and three cases in every 10,000 people each year in the UK.